Technical information

Watson SHDSL Router
Web-based Management Manual
Watson-SHDSL-Router-GUI-Manual.doc
Version 2.3-03
11-10
Revision: 2012-02-29
NAT Acronym for `network address translation'. The process of converting
between IP addresses used within a private network and Internet IP addresses.
NAT enables all of the computers on a network to share one IP address.
Network adapter Also known as a `network interface card' (NIC). An expansion
card or other device used to provide network access to a computer, printer, or other
device.
Network name The single name of a grouping of computers that are linked
together to form a network.
Network A collection of two or more computers that are connected to each
other through wired or wireless means. These computers can share access to the
Internet and the use of files, printers, and other equipment.
Packet A unit of information transmitted as a whole from one device to anoth-
er on a network.
PAP Password Authentication Protocol, the most basic form of authentica-
tion, in which a user's name and password are transmitted over a network and
compared to a table of name-password pairs. Typically, the passwords stored in
the table are encrypted. The Basic Authentication feature built into the HTTP proto-
col uses PAP.
PC Card A peripheral device that adds memory, mass storage, modem capa-
bility, or other networking services to portable computers.
Peer-to-peer network A network of two or more computers that communicate
without using a central server. This lack of reliance on a server differentiates a
peer-to-peer network from a client/server network.
PING A protocol for testing whether a particular computer is connected to
the Internet by sending a packet to the computer's IP address and waiting for a re-
sponse.
Plug and Play A set of specifications that allows a computer to automatically
detect and configure various peripheral devices, such as monitors, modems, and
printers.
Port A physical connection through which data is transferred between a
computer and other devices (such as a monitor, modem, or printer), a network, or
another computer. Also, a software channel for network communications.
PPPoE Acronym for `Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet'. A specification for
connecting users on an Ethernet network to the Internet by using a broadband
connection (typically through a DSL modem).
PPTP IP Security, a set of protocols developed to support secure exchange
of packets at the IP layer. IPsec has been deployed widely to implement Virtual Pri-
vate Networks (VPNs).
PPTP Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol, a technology for creating Virtual
Private Networks (VPNs). Because the Internet is essentially an open network, the
Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) is used to ensure that messages trans-
mitted from one VPN node to another are secure. With PPTP, users can dial in to
their corporate network via the Internet.